4. As guides are more and more on our rivers. Why should we not start pushing for a state licensing of the guides? Some states are already doing this for multiple reasons. After all if we want a tourist industry should not our guides be certified to insure the paying public is getting ethical guides, who obey the law, respect others, the fishery, etc?

I wish! There's actually a whole lot of guides in east TN who'd love to see a guide licensing program that had requirments set to insure clients saftey and well being (CPR + First Aid + Insurance + Whitewater Rescue), Ethics (Business + river ettiquette), and resource conservation.

I know several of the folks who guide in NE Tenn and I've heard a lot of complaints about rude out of state guides, shady fly by night guides, etc. If all were required to have a license it would probably cut down on those complaints.

We're required to be permited through the forest service on the Hiwassee. They have a pretty strict set of rules we must follow as well as possesing required credentials (CPR, Insurance, First aid etc). They also have requirements that we must carry on the boat at all times.

This system has helped a lot on the Hiwassee. YEt we still see folks running pirate trips quite often.

Not sure, but I believe the GSMNP require commercial guides to be permited as well. Requirments are probably about the same.